Unifilters rats mice in airbox

[Xclimation]

Couldn't find this in a search using what I have in the subject line.....

When mocking something to my bike yesterday I thought I noticed an odor of rats. Soooo today I'm going to take apart things and inspect. I am using the Unifilter air intake filter. This leaves the front of the airbox open. Soooo If I were a rat mouse....what a great place for a nest! (Except when the engine starts up!!!) I'm think of some kind of protective screen to put in front. Any ideas for a design or material? I'm thinking gutter guard or some type of wired fences that is smaller opening than chicken wire. Then there's the figuring on how to attach. I can help but wonder if this is why it seems Unifilters were scrapped for our bikes?

 

[~TABASCO~]

Good idea... You can bend the edges around your 'mesh' and just rivet it to the inside of the air box... Or just make it a snug fit.....

 

[Sierra1]

But, you have to figure, that if they're in your bike....they're in your car. My Jeep was less that six months old, and driven daily, when squirrels ate my main wiring harness; $1800 to replace. I've found rat nests in my wife's car; also driven daily. I go through two bags per week of Tomcat rat killer, and now have an electronic rodent repeller. No more nests under hood or wires eaten. I live beside a field and creek, so it's a never ending battle.

 

[Xclimation]

Checked it whilst replacing my spark plugs. No rats or mice! The smell is coming from my neighbors yard? I once bought a house that had a rat infestation in the attic...I KNOW that smell! (Didn't know it when I bought the house) had a crappy inspector...
I didn't put a screen in front of the airbox this time around. But will next time. I like Tabasco's idea of riveting. I'll probably use gutter guard. Cheap, easy to work with and should do the job. When I do it...I'll probably make a diy post. But having said this....There are a lot of nooks and crannies where rodents can nest on our bikes! I have family in Tucson, AZ. And when I visit them, I noticed many people that have a light under their car. I wondered about this for the longest time. It turns out that the light keeps away mice and they have a big problem in Tucson with rats chewing wires. Too many feral cats in my urban neighborhood for it to be a problem.

 

[WJBertrand]

I wonder if a screen will disrupt the intake flow? I was testing a Suzuki 750 Katana once and a string about the width of an athletic shoe lace got sucked across the intake from something I'd stashed under the seat somewhat carelessly. The bike ran like crap until I moved that string out of the way. I couldn't believe how sensitive that bike was to anything across the intake. Dunno if that's common or peculiar to the Katana. I believe this bike was still carbureted as opposed to EFI if that makes any difference.

 

[EricV]

I wonder if a screen will disrupt the intake flow?

Edit - I erred, mistaking radiator intake for airbox intake. I still believe some mesh would not have a noticeable impact for the airbox intake.

Tobasco does makes a screen to fit the radiator intake already. I've been running it on both a Gen I and Gen II bike for quite a while with zero impact to the bike, except saving me from ingesting a few birds into the intake. edit - perhaps someone should report back on what, if any, impact an airbox intake screen has?

 

[Madhatter]

the first time I changed my filter I found a mouse apartment on the dirty side of the filter . about 2 double handfuls of mostly eaten acorn shells with a few snail shells for a balanced diet..... they are every where... and I ride almost everyday.....

 

[Madhatter]

thankfully they had not damaged the filter, or it could have been bad...

 

[2daMax]

I found a long piece of toilet paper in my air box. Couldn't have sucked in by itself with that length. Could be Rats or the Scrat (Shrew Faced Ground Squirrel) . Am also thinking of a mesh to prevent critters from nesting there.

 

[Gigitt]

You might have to try something like hot rod air intake trumpet mesh.

 

[Cycledude]

That’s why the stock filter comes with a screen already installed.

 

[Ramseybella]

That’s why the stock filter comes with a screen already installed.

I think it may be there to prevent the paper filter media from collapsing in from air pressure, the perforated plate it is on the injector side.
Just like foam filters have a spring inside or something for rigidity on the old Carbureted bikes so to not suck them into the carb intake.
Mice are worse than the rats, little bastards can squeeze into anything.
Mice migrating into the filter box of a Tenere is like us walking through a four lane tunnel.

 

[Sierra1]

....Mice are worse than the rats, little bastards can squeeze into anything....

Tomato....tomahto. They ALL suck, and they ALL are invasive.

 

[Ramseybella]

Tomato....tomahto. They ALL suck, and they ALL are invasive.

True, but mice are true gremlins that can fit through just about any small crack.
I worked in the food industry for 25 years and the places these pest were found dumbfounded even the Arab pest control tech.